In the end, the matchup between the most grizzled veterans in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s featherweight division delivered exactly the kind of action that fans and opponents had been hoping for.
40-year-old Darren Elkins and 39-year-old Daniel Pineda engaged in a bloody back-and-forth battle to win “Fight of the Night” at UFC Fight Night 245 at the Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Each will receive honors and a $50,000 bonus. The fight hinged on a collision of Elkins’ sturdy, reliable wrestling and Pineda’s toxic grappling game. Pineda overcame the punishment with his face swollen and bleeding within minutes, and the fight was tied each round until the final frame, but Elkins’ legendary endurance and pace finally pushed him to the limit, and Elkins Won in 3 rounds. Scorecards from all three judges. Pineda, who announced his retirement from the Octagon after the verdict was read, will pocket the bonus as he moves on to his next step as head coach at Houston’s flagship gym, 4oz Fight Club. .
On a night where he only finished second in 11 races, the only “Performance of the Night” bonus went to Anthony Hernandez, who had a solid night. In his first UFC main event, he defeated Michel Pereira by TKO in the fifth round, extending his win streak to six, proving himself as a strong contender for the middleweight title, and earning him an additional $50,000. The fight was fiercely competitive — all in one round, at least while Pereira’s cardio continued. As Pereira’s energy levels dipped, Hernandez turned up the jets, picking up at least one 10-8 round on the exhausted Brazilian and hitting the “Demolidor” in the middle of the final frame. This performance comes despite all the success “Fluffy” has had since joining the UFC six years ago from Dana White’s Contender Series and Legacy Fighting Alliance. It showed that it might be even more difficult to fight in a match. The rest of the department.
The UFC’s decision to award three bonus checks on Saturday instead of the usual four meant that Jocelyn Edwards, the only fighter with a finish on Saturday, lost more than 3 pounds in weight, meaning she would be eligible for the post-fight award. It’s easy to explain because you lost your qualifications. . So ‘Pantera’ will have to be happy that Tamirez Vidal’s third-round facecrank submission may have saved his roster spot in the UFC.
